Australia - NSW State government bans bottled water

NSW Premier Nathan Rees has announced an immediate ban on all departments and agencies buying bottled water, including supplies for water coolers.

He says it is the first step in a government campaign to significantly reduce the consumption of bottled water in the community.

The announcement comes hours before the village of Bundanoon in NSW’s Southern Highlands is expected to declare a voluntary ban on bottled water at a town meeting tonight.

In what is believed to be an Australian first, all businesses in the town have already agreed to stop selling bottled-water products.

Mr Rees said the Department of Environment and Climate Change had advised the Government to also consider a public information campaign highlighting the high cost of buying bottled water and its impact on the environment.

"These plastic bottles are everywhere,’’ Mr Rees told reporters.

"It’s not just the direct plastic bottle that causes the physical reality in our local environment.

"Bear this in mind, you take a 600ml plastic bottle, 200ml of oil has gone into its production.

"That’s leaving aside the C02 that comes from transporting it around the place."

Australians spent about $500 million on bottled water in 2008, a 10 per cent increase on 2007.

Mr Rees said he did not know how much money the ban would save, but pointed out that a drink bottle can be refilled 1350 times for the average cost of a bottle of spring water.

Bottled water has been banned in ministerial offices at Governor Macquarie Tower in Sydney’s CBD since Mr Rees became premier.

Environmental group Do Something! welcomed the Government’s move, saying it, along with the people of Bundanoon, could be the catalyst for change in the community.

"It’s all about common sense," Do Something! director Jon Dee said.

"When you reduce the usage of bottled water you’re not just saving the environment, you’re also saving your wallet at the same time.

"It makes total sense whether you’re a government department or whether you’re a company, whether it’s in smaller bottles or the larger bottles that get delivered to offices."

Mr Dee said it made no sense for people to pay twice as much for a litre of bottled water than they did for a litre of petrol.

"The bottled water industry has managed to convince people that bottled water is somehow pure or better for you than water you drink out of the tap," he said.

"But we have amongst the best tap water in the world."

< Previous entry: More Asian men forced to marry foreigners

> Next entry: Best Keys To Be Happy In Office

Australia - NSW State government bans bottled water

Navigation